In the competitive world of campus placements and off-campus job opportunities, students work tirelessly to prepare for online assessments (OAs). These tests serve as the gateway to promising careers and bright futures. However, the integrity of these assessments is under threat. Recently, I discovered a case that highlights just how widespread and damaging this problem has become.

Sanskar Singh from IIT BHU, who is currently working at Calri Global Capital Limited, has been forwarding answers to company online assessments through Telegram groups. One such notorious group, led by Abhisapta Das, acts as a hub for these unethical activities. This blog post aims to shine a light on this dishonest practice and call for collective action to protect the rights of hardworking students.

LinkedIn — https://in.linkedin.com/in/sanskar-singh27

The Gravity of the Situation

Every year, thousands of students prepare diligently for company assessments, hoping to secure jobs based on their knowledge and skills. However, some students choose a different path — the path of dishonesty. Platforms like Telegram have become breeding grounds for cheating, where answers are distributed in real-time, making it easy for some to game the system.

Sanskar Singh, instead of earning his place with integrity, has been sharing OA answers in these groups. The group run by Abhisapta Das operates as a cheating network, where confidential test answers are handed out like candy. These unethical practices create a ripple effect, impacting not only individual students but the entire recruitment system.

How This Cheating Hurts Everyone

1. Deserving Students Lose Opportunities:
   Imagine a student who has spent months studying and honing their skills, only to lose a job opportunity to someone who cheated their way through an OA. The deserving candidate, who would have excelled in the role, is left behind. Their dreams are shattered not because they weren’t good enough, but because the system was compromised.

2. Companies End Up Hiring Unqualified Candidates:
   When students cheat on assessments, companies unknowingly hire candidates who lack the necessary skills. These employees may struggle to perform on the job, leading to poor outcomes for the company. In the long run, this damages the company’s productivity and reputation.

3. Damaged Reputation of Indian Students:
   When cheating incidents come to light, it reflects poorly on all Indian students. Companies may begin to distrust the talent pool from India, making it harder for honest students to secure opportunities. This damages the hard-earned reputation of countless dedicated students.

4. A Culture of Dishonesty:
   If cheating continues unchecked, it creates a toxic culture where students feel that dishonesty is the only way to succeed. This undermines the values of hard work, perseverance, and integrity — values that are essential not just for professional success, but for personal growth and societal progress.

The Role of Platforms Like Telegram

The convenience and anonymity of Telegram make it an attractive platform for cheaters. Groups like the one managed by Abhisapta Das are designed specifically to facilitate the sharing of answers. These groups can have thousands of members, spreading cheating practices far and wide. The administrators of these groups profit from this unethical behavior, while honest students suffer the consequences.

It’s important to recognize that these groups are not harmless. They actively contribute to the breakdown of trust between companies and candidates. They encourage shortcuts and reward dishonesty, creating a deeply unfair playing field.

Steps We Can Take to Stop This

1. Stronger Security Measures by Companies:
   Companies need to adopt stricter security measures for online assessments. This includes proctored exams, randomized question sets, and stricter time limits. Tools that monitor candidates through video and screen-sharing can help reduce cheating.

2. Ban Cheaters from Future Opportunities:
   Students caught cheating or facilitating cheating, like Sanskar Singh and Abhisapta Das, should be banned from placement processes and off-campus opportunities. If companies take a firm stance, it will deter others from engaging in similar behavior.

3. Report Cheating Groups:
   If you encounter Telegram groups or other platforms promoting cheating, report them immediately. These groups violate the terms of service of most platforms, and they can be shut down with enough reports. Encourage your peers to do the same.

4. Educational Institutions Must Act:
   Colleges and universities should emphasize the importance of integrity. They should have clear policies against cheating and take disciplinary action against students who violate these policies. Workshops and seminars on ethical behavior can also help instill the right values.

5. Promote Honest Competition:
   As students, we need to support each other in honest competition. Success achieved through hard work and perseverance is more meaningful and lasting than any shortcut. Trust in your abilities, and remember that real skills will always take you further than cheating ever could.

A Message to Recruiters

To the companies and recruiters who trust students with their assessments: please be aware that cheating is a growing problem. Take steps to ensure your assessments are secure and that the selection process remains fair. Identify and blacklist candidates who have been found guilty of cheating. By doing so, you can ensure that you are hiring the best talent — individuals who are skilled, honest, and reliable.

A Call for Change

This issue affects all of us — students, companies, educational institutions, and society as a whole. We cannot let a handful of dishonest individuals compromise the future of so many hardworking and talented students. It’s time to take a stand.

• To students: Choose integrity over shortcuts. Your hard work will pay off.
• To companies: Strengthen your recruitment processes and take action against cheaters.
• To educators: Instill the values of honesty and fair competition in your students.
• To everyone: Report unethical behavior and do your part to maintain fairness.

Let’s work together to protect the integrity of the recruitment process and ensure that every student gets a fair chance to achieve their dreams.

The final result

A prominent LinkedIn influencer will soon be posting on LinkedIn about this person, tagging their LinkedIn ID and their college — despite being warned 100 times that they don't want to hear from the kind students. ****